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My Sister Eileen
My Sister Eileen is a 1955 musical film inspired by the play of the same name by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov Cast Singing cast *Janet Leigh - Eileen Sherwood *Jack Lemmon - Robert "Bob" Baker *Betty Garrett - Ruth Sherwood *Bob Fosse - Frank Lippincott *Tommy Rall - Chick Clark *Dick York - Ted Loomis *Kurt Kasznar - Papa Appopolous Plot Witty Ruth and pretty Eileen Sherwood, sisters from Columbus, Ohio, relocate to New York City and settle in a rundown basement studio apartment in a Greenwich Village building owned by Papa Appopolous. Ruth aspires to be a writer, while Eileen hopes to achieve success as an actress. They become acquainted with their neighbor Ted Loomis, an athlete who lives with his fiancée Helen. Ruth has a letter of introduction to Bob Baker, editor-in-chief of Mad Hatter magazine. As he rushes off for vacation, he counsels her to write about things she knows rather than the artificial stories she had sent him. Meanwhile, after finding herself the target of unwanted advances from a theatre producer, Eileen goes to the local Walgreens for lunch. Soda fountain manager Frank Lippencott lends her a sympathetic ear and offers his assistance, assuring her many theatrical people eat at the counter. As time progresses, Ruth collects a lot of rejection slips and Eileen fails to secure any auditions. When newspaper reporter Chick Clark overhears Frank telling Eileen about an audition, he claims to know the show's producer and assures her he can get her an interview with him. Upon arrival at the theater, they discover it is a burlesque house where striptease is the main attraction. Mortified, Eileen rushes out. Bob returns from vacation and meets with Ruth to tell her his favorite stories are about Eileen and her romantic misadventures. Ruth claims her sister is simply a product of her imagination and the experiences she described actually are her own. Intrigued, Bob asks her for a date, but Ruth declines, and later tells Eileen she finds him dull and unattractive. Ted asks the girls if he can stay with them while Helen's mother visits and Eileen agrees despite Ruth's uncertainty. Eileen invites Chick and Frank to dinner, but when her spaghetti sauce is ruined by a plumber, Chick suggests they go to El Morocco, where he tells Eileen he will introduce Ruth to his editor, and Ruth sees Bob with a glamorous woman. Bob's secretary is certain Ruth's stories are not as autobiographical as she claims. He invites her to dinner to discuss the publication of a story, and when he tries to kiss her she runs off, suggesting she may be less experienced than her stories suggest. Eileen tells Frank unless Ruth's story is published, the impoverished sisters will have to return to Ohio. Frank is in love with her but, mistakenly thinking Ted lives with the girls, accuses Eileen of being a bohemian and departs. The following day, Ruth receives a phone call asking her to cover the arrival of the Brazilian Navy for the local paper. Unaware it was Chick, who made the call in order to ensure being alone with Eileen, she rushes off. Chick comes to the apartment, and is thrown out by Ted when Eileen needs help fending off the reporter's advances. Helen sees Ted comforting Eileen, and mistakenly assumes the worst. Ruth is pursued by the Brazilian naval cadets, who have misunderstood her intent in meeting their ship. In order to calm them down, Ruth and Eileen initiate a Conga line, which rapidly evolves into a wild dance party in the street that draws the attention of the police, and everyone is arrested. The Brazilian Consul intervenes on their behalf, and the girls return home to pack their belongings. Bob arrives at the apartment, professes his love for Ruth, and tells her he is publishing her stories. Frank arrives with a box of chocolates for Eileen, Ted, and Helen reconcile, and the sisters decide to remain in New York. Musical numbers *"Atmosphere" - Chorus *"As Soon As They See Eileen" - Ruth *"I'm Great" - Ruth, Eileen, Papa Appopolous and Ted *"There's Nothin' Like Love" - Ruth and Eileen *"There's Nothing Like Love" (reprise) - Eileen and Frank *"Give Me A Band And My Baby" - Ruth, Eileen, Frank and Chick *"It's Bigger Than You And Me" - Bob *"Conga" - Ruth, Eileen, Papa Appopolous and Sailors Category: Musical films